Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-10-14
A FIRST BATTLE RECORD.

The Sixth Alabama's Desperate and Deadly
Charge Under Gordon at Seven Pines.
One day in the spring of 81, when the
clans of the Confederacy were gathering
there tramped into Montgomery, then
the temporary capital, company of
gaunt, wild-eyed, jean-clad men, as
they marched along in irregular files,
with an every himself air, some
body on the sidewalk called out.
"What command is THAR"
"Independent Rifles" was the reply
shouted back from the ranks.
independent Rifles spectator
echoed with grin.
"Rac-coon Roughs," came from the
free-and- easy ranks, Il reck'n that'll
suit you-uns."
Every man in the company wore q
coon. skin cap, and 1.-The Racccon
Roughs" they were from that time on.
The command had been recruited from
the miners and mountaineers of the
northwest corner of Georgia and the
northeast corner of Alabama. They
were neighbors aud fellow workmen
whose associations Tapped over state
lines. Their captain was John B. Cor
don, at present the governor of Georgia,
but he didn't hold the position long.
"The Reccoon Roughs' were mot ilized
with some other companies and became
tho 9Th Alabama, to the command of
which Capt. Gordon was elected.
At Seven Pines the 9Th Alabama re-
ceived its baptism of fire. Before that
there had been some skirmishing, but
this was the first battle, and, as Gov. Cor
don describes the scenes, they make up
for the regiment record which prob
ably is without parallel on either side.
A shade comes over the Governors ex-
pressive face and his voice drops to lower
tones when he talks of that day.
81 started on that CHARGE" he says,
with 600 men in my regiment. When
the fighting ended at nightfall 396 of the
600 lay on the field dead or wounded. My
lieutenant colonel was killed, my major
was killed, my adiutant was killed. Of
forty-four commissioned officers only
thirteen came out OF that days fighting
unscathed."
81 had a brother with me, a boy" Gov.
Gordon continued "He was shot through
the right lung, but recovered, only to die
with Stonewall Jackson at Charlottesville.
He was 10 years old. I had several bullet
holes ia my clothes when night came, but
was not wounded. One ball raked across
my chest, and would have shattered my
right arm if 1 hadn't it uplifted to point
command to make.
"The 9Th Alabama" the governor went
On, twas opposite a portion of the FEEDER
al line which that side had no idea would
be taken. We made the assault in the
forenoon. There was a charge ACROSS an
open field, perhaps a distance of 500
yards. Then we came to breastworks, be-
hind which the Federals were as thick as
they could stand. As we went over their
lines we found the evidences that they
had no idea of being driven back.
Cooking was going on, and in a house a
meal had been prepared for an officers
mess. We followed them back of the
works and into a swamp, where a great
many trees had been felled. 1t was i'm
possible to go ahead and there we stop
ped, stood in the water up to our knees
and fought till dak. | had to detail
men in there to hold the heads of the
wounded above water to keep them from
drowning. And some of the time l could
not find enough well men to take care of
the wounded
Governor, do you recollect any other
command which lost so heavily ia a single
charge at any time during the war;" was
asked.
NO." replied the governor, after little
pause, 81 don't recollect anything whic h
was quite equal to it. Our loss was within
three or four men of being two-thirds of
the whole regiment"